September 28, 2006
To Whom it May Concern,

We are writing you in light of the unjust and reprehensible raids made against the Korean Government Employees Union by your government. The brutality and suppression of workers' most basic rights is offensive, and must be corrected. We demand that you immediately recognize the right to the Korean Government Employee's Union's existence, and allow it to operate freely and legally. Additionally, we ask that you fix any damages you have caused to the union and its members.

We eagerly await your response.

The International Solidarity Committee of the Industrial Workers of the World.

Disclaimer - The following article is reposted here because it is an issue with some relevance to the IWW. The views of the author do not necessarily agree with those of the IWW and vice versa.

By Julie Hyland - From wsws.net, 29 March 2006

Thousands of schools, local government facilities and transport services across the United Kingdom were closed or partially closed Tuesday as almost 1.5 million local government workers took strike action to defend their pension rights.

But from the outset, the leadership of the 11 unions involved in the dispute sought to demobilize any active participation by workers. In the main, pickets were at a minimum and any visible signs of protest were patchy and kept limited. In Manchester, England’s third largest city, the regional trade unions called off a lunchtime rally at the eleventh hour.

The New York City General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers  of the World stands in solidarity with falsely accused environmental  and social justice activist Daniel McGowan (http://www.supportdaniel.org/).

Daniel's efforts in projects such as the demonstrations against the Republican National Convention as well as  support of political prisoners have enriched our progressive  communities here in New York City. He has been a friend to us and now  we must stand with him. An injury to one is an injury to all.

ACTION ALERT - Please send a variation of the following letter (in your own words) to:  presiding.officer@scottish.parliament.uk

Dear Mr. Reid,

As a supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in the British Isles, I am appalled that the Scottish Parliament intends to suspend the pay and benefits of 15 parliamentary workers, including members of parliament. This suspension will affect our members' pay, access to their workplace and benefits, including contributions to their pensions, and allowances which are primarily used to pay staff salaries.

By threatening IWW members' livelihoods, the Scottish Parliament is violating their dignity and security.

By excluding the Scottish Socialist Party and union representatives from the meeting that made this decision, the Scottish Parliament sought to silence our members and strip them of their right to defend themselves.

We condemn the Scottish Parliament for its severe reaction to a harmless protest for free speech and free assembly in Scotland during the G-8 meeting. As a result, workers now face punishment for their association with the SSP. This is unfair.

On August 15th, Fort McMurray Today ran the following article on the upcoming actions:

Alberta CLAC under fire as new group targets them

By RENATO GANDIA

To raise awareness of what they feel are unacceptable practices by the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) will be holding a rally in three Alberta cities, including Fort McMurray.

’The main point of this rally is to raise awareness and solidarity against CLAC,’ said Bryan Roberts an IWW delegate from Edmonton, today. Scheduled on Aug. 26, the rally will be held in front of the CLAC in the Bob Lamb Industry Education Centre office between 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ’We just want to raise awareness that CLAC as a union does not really represent its rank and file workers,’ Roberts said.

Early in July, an estimated 4,000 union workers staged a rally here against the CLAC and on the issue of bringing temporary foreign workers to Fort McMurray. This time the focus of the rally will be more general and not just about foreign workers, said Roberts.

From the Industrial Worker - September 2005. 

The IWW’s Scottish Parliament Job Branch has filed a strong protestagainst the Parliament’s decision to strip the Scottish Socialist Party members’ 14 staff of one month’s wages, noting that the decision – taken by the Labour Party majority – violates the workers’ fundamental labour rights.

The protest was filed jointly with the National Union of Journalists. The IWW and NUJ represent the 14 workers affected.

The issue arises from a decision to strip the SSP delegation of its salaries, facilities and support staff after the four Socialist parliamentarians protested within the chamber against a government ban on protests at the site of the G8 summit in Gleneagles despite parliamentary votes to allow demonstrations. Protests were subsequently allowed.

Neither the unions representing the affected workers nor the SSP, which employes them, were informed of or permitted to attend the meeting of the Scottish Parliament committees where the decision was taken, nor were the IWW or NUJ notified that action against our members was being considered.